So I've been a Deadhead for 30 years and yesterday is the first time I listened to this full show. I've long heard the bad reviews by band and fans alike, and after listening, they seem pretty accurate.
For one thing it sounds really chaotic onstage. People that aren't in the band going on about bad acid etc for ten minutes between sloppy song versions. Rude sounding crowd alternately shouting "Sit Down!" "Stand up!" Very scattered vibes. The Dark Star is decent, but there are MUCH better versions from '69. The Lovelight is the best part of the show, but is only an average version for the era. Plus it suffers the indignity of some incredibly clueless and obnoxious person stepping all over Pigpens vocal to deliver some nonsense spoken word bullshit that pretty much ruins any hope this show had. It's most definitely NOT legendary Merry Prankster Ken Babbs. I watched the video and read a description of the event by Ken himself. The guy must've been out of his mind on the bad acid and clearly had no place being anywhere near a microphone. Babbs actually does the service of coaxing the guy offstage with a joint, but the damage has already been done. Pig and Bobby do their best to salvage the song., but it never really catches on, and ends with a piece of sound equipment literally blowing up onstage. It's right next to Mickeys drums and he straight bails lol. A fitting end to this disjointed performance.
I'm only giving it two stars cuz of the much better competition from this stellar year in GD history.

So according to legend the Dead weren't at the top of their game here. The legend is probably correct.
But seeing as how this is an historical document, it's a shame Jerry wouldn't let it be used on film or vinyl.
Same for CCR apparently. At this point the whole shebang ought to be made available, either in physical form or digitally online.
An underwhelming experience, but we still have Europe '72.

At what moment does Bobby get zapped?

It was last year, i heard the complete Woodstock-Bootleg (in the age of 14) and so this concert was my very first Dead-Expierience.
The Closing Of Winterland was my first which i KNOWN that the Dead played.
For the first listening it was bad, now i love Turn On Your Lovelight in this fucking 45 Minute-Version! I believe its the longest stand-alone-Track in a Dead-Concert, isn't it?

5 Stars at all, but only 4 because it was so goddamned short.

I got some tapes back in the day that had the entire Woodstock festival on it and especially after wading through much Joan Baez revolutionary sludge the Dead set is fine by me.
And really the Dead just went with the experience they didn't complain about going on when everyone was crashed out, They didn't wack Abby Hoffman with a guitar, they didn't destroy any equipment ---they just played.
About the verbal rap during Lovelight. Oh, well glad that didn't happen every night.
On tape it sure was a trip hearing that dude in one tiny part of my brain while trying to listen and focus on the band playing with the rest of my grey matter.
I went to one of the Woodstock reunion's on the original site which was in the middle of nowhere before (I heard) someone built a Concert Hall on it. And the thing that stuck with me the most was all the 'private property' signs every where you went.
And really the revolution of the 1960's failed because Socialism and / or Communism just doesn't work in real life.
My Grandfather tried to tell me that back when I had my head in the clouds but I had to experience it for myself.
I love the dead's music and the boys had nothing to be ashamed of musically at Woodstock.
Just imagine if the Dead had been in prime time @ Woodstock and the 'Touch of Grey' era had started in 1969.(Scarier than the domino theory)
Most of the soundboard stuff you can get on this site is equal to what the band heard on stage.
And I can tell you from being a head in the era of Cassettes that many times the audience recorded shows were horrible sound wise because of limited technology. So enjoy this as the Grateful Dead just do what they did which was to go on night after night and create music.
"Get up and dance, it won't ruin you"

You guys. That is NOT Ken Babbs babbling incoherently about the "other coast". Ken Babbs is the taller guy with the white pants; he can be seen dancing around the stage a bit, and at one point he seems to be trying to get "other coast guy" off the mic (in his good-natured Babbs-ian way). I don't know who poetry guy is, but let it be known that if Babbs were on the mic the babbling would be much more intelligible/intelligent/funny. And surely not while Pig was doing his thing.

Patchy recording but precious. Mama Tried is worth listening to, Dark Star is good, ToYLL is excellent (and ignore the ignorant comments below where some complain about Ken Babbs), you could skip the bits between except for sake of historical, truly historical, documentary. Thanks be to the taper and hi to those still on the bus after all these years.

the grateful dead played dark star at Woodstock.what a great version.how can people be so negative?

Ragged, rough, forgotten lyrics, etc... Just not a good performance. It doesn't matter if it was at Woodstock or in my backyard. There is so much better 69 material all over the Archive.

It is not just "people's" opinion of this show that have caused it to be buried, the Grateful Dead couldn't stand it. They are musicians, and it cannot be pleasant to listen to yourself sounding like this. The band put the clamps on other projects over the years, notably the "Sunshine Daydream" film, because they were not up to standards. I imagine that as much fun as it would be to play music while you're tripping balls, it isn't fun to hear it. There are much better Dead shows from this time.

That said, this is great to hear for the history and the vibe of it all. Those were the days!

i too was misled by peoples opinion of this show, it does not suck! if anything its too short, the lovelight is great, dark star is great, stephen started off sounding good shame we didnt get the rest

5 stars for woodstock, this is not a bad show!

To bad most of the hippies turned out to be closet socialists who hate their own country and are trying to take it down a path that the majority doesn't want. That being said this show isn't that bad compared to what I heard. I just wish that guy would shut up during Lovelight!!

This stuff is historic ... it is like a time capsule. And, considering the event, well, what the hell else can be said. Thanks again for posting.

TO: Mr. ah_uh_oh_um,

LAMA is doing us a fantastic service by making these shows available for streaming. We should all respect and be appreciative of their incredible contribution to the "online streamable archive."

If you want to discuss "tech" experiments with other members, please use a personal message to share your ideas ... just a suggestion ... otherwise we may end-up losing what access we currently enjoy.

THANKS! ;-)

`

~^|\_@|@_/|^~
~<->/<->\<->~

The GRATEFUL DEAD at Woodstock 40 years ago today!

July 69', the "Establishment" put the first men on the moon... August 69' the Hippies put on 3 Days of Music & Peace in upstate New York...well, the rewards from the Moon Landing keep paying dividends even to today, and the Woodstock, Music and Peace thing?

Well, Rap replaced Rock...lmao, and the Peace thing still ain't caught on...I never heard NWA sing about peace. I guess when you can put a profit in peace then we'll have it?

Technology became the new religion, not Tim Leary and his "mind expanding drugs"...amazing how many "hippies" that survived Woodstock have a blackberry, i-Phone, i-Pod, and a laptop and don't take LSD anymore.

We can repeat the Moon landing, can the Hippies repeat Woodstock? They tried a few times, Watkins Glen, Atlanta, Altamont...but they were nothing like Woodstock.

This ain't the worst show the DEAD ever did.

I think the fact that Pigpen did a 45 minute version of "Turn On Your Lovelight" is proof he was the only one on stage NOT on LSD that day....lol.

They were there as part of the scene, they were not interested in the exploitation of the Hippies, or the exploitation of the music...they enjoyed themselves, and didn't care about being "shocked" by the ungrounded mics, and all the other cool "crap" that went on at Woodstock.

My favorite performers from Woodstock are Joe Cocker & the Grease Band, The Jefferson Airplane, Santana, The Who, Sly & the Family Stone, Janis Joplin, Canned Heat, Ten years After, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Jimi Hendrix.

If you're a fan of the GRATEFUL DEAD you're gonna want this show...too.

I was 14 when Woodstock took place, I was too young to go...but I remember all the freaks, weirdo's and hippies carrying on like they were the center of the universe...yeah, of their own world.

My older brother went, he was 18-19, he came back with Mono...missed the start of college that September, wasn't healthy enough to go to school until January. LMAO...freaks.

Woodstock....no food, no water, no toilets, no phones, roads blocked for tens of miles, and lots of rain....and the hippies will tell you it was the BEST THING that ever happened on planet earth...watch the movie now, 40 years later...see if it still gives you that same feelin...

My first rock concert wasn't Woodstock, it was Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden September 19, 1970, and I am glad.

I recommend using your EQ during playback of most of the shows on the IA, this one included.

Windows Media Player has a 10 band EQ and SRS WOW effects that enhance the sound.

Here's one way to stream/dowload this show:

The IA recommends users of Windows XP view this web-page with RealPlayer.

RealPlayer is a free media player you can download at www.realplayer.com.

Using RealPlayer to view this webpage, click the VBR M3U link to open the songs in the Playlist.

If your Playlist is not open, open it by clicking the Playlist icon at the lower right hand corner of RealPlayer.

Once the songs are in the Playlist, double click the song to play it, then click the record button at the lower left hand corner of Realplayer to record it.

When the red line reaches the other end click the stop button to download the song. Your song is in the RealPlayer Downloads folder.

Repeat these steps for each song.

OR


You could just hook up a cable from your headphone jack to your cassette, CD, VHS, DVD recorder and record it in real time...

Eat, Drink, Be Merry and Listen to the GRATEFUL DEAD, for tomorrow we may die.

Thanks for the LOVE from Woodstock.

PS: Remember to click on the "DeadLists Project" link and get the POSTERS for this show.

snojon, so true about Babbs. You read about the Pranksters, the spawning of mixed multi-media shows and the scene, et al. To actually hear Babbs is just awesome! I always wished I could here the tapes from The Bus and all. Just to hear how out there those cats were. The Babbs rant is pure gold.

ashevegas, ...and a wook will steal your wallet. Dude, I about wet myself when I read that. It's hilarious because it's true!

3 stars for historical significance and sound quality. +1 star for Babbs.

I realize this bullshit was written 2years ago ,BUT ...I can't let these comments go without saying something.

quote:what happened with the downloads is that Bobby fucking Wier is the greediest of the band members, and he decided that until he's dead (and can receive no more royalties) no Dead-taped audio can be downloaded for free. Hey Bobby! Remember Woodstock? Remember the reason that the revolution was started? Money makes you a dick!

Are you rich ? What made you a dick?

Get off ur fucking high horse .

1st get ur facts straight ...no SBD can be dl'd from HERE .

It has nothing to do with who recorded the show MORON !

Are you such a n00b that you think all sbd's come from the vault ? or from Bear or Betty ?

The 60's are over and have been since 12/31/69 .There is no free hippie love ...nobody will "paint rainbows all over your blues" ...When you go to San Fran , don't wear flowers in your hair ...you'll get your ass kicked and some wook will steal your wallet .

All of the hippie ideals in the world won't take care of Bobby's kids after he's gone ...$ will

Join the forces of reality !

They play music for a living and have for many years .

I like the Dark Star on this one. I keep listening to it. I love TC really shines on this one.

I held off from even checking out this show because of all negativity I heard about the dead at woodstock. what a pleasant surprise to listen to a much better than average dark star and lovelight.
the sound wasn't bad at all once you got past saint stephen. much better recording than the majority of shows on this site.

how dare anyone trash Babbs. he was one of the founders of this scene. he gives this rendition of lovelight a unique twist. the band members themselves said that this song was played too often and they sometimes became bored with it.

Yes I went and truly don't remember much. I was only 16 and into Hendrix, barely knew who the Dead were. C'mon this is BAD. I cannot believe people ar dishing out 5 Stars for this POS. Historically it gets a 3.

I can smell the mud when I hear the music. It takes me back to Yasgur's farm, but the speakers on my dell can't compare to the ones at the Music And Art Fair. I really needed to hear that version of Love light again. Thanks for making it possible.

I love what he does in the opening of Turn On Your Love Light. It's actually kinda funny, IMO.

And this is the show that turned me onto the dead. If this has the entire Lovelight from the SBD I'm gonna be happy. (The one I have is patched with the AUD so they say... it has been a while...)

Yeah, the open weak with an abridged "St. Stephen", and an o.k. "Mama Tried".

"Dark Star"/"High Time" is an exciting jam and as a previous reviewer said deserved to be on the Woodstock collection. It certainly makes a nice antithesis to what is to come. That signature opening lick comes in and takes you through all the possible dimensions and then comes back to earth to proclaim that they've enjoyed their time in space and then sets up for big finale!

Ahh, "Lovelight". What else can I say? This IS the definitive performance!!!! No "Lovelight" before and after has been as electrifying and mind-blowing as this. It drags on and on, and the tension just builds and builds and builds for what seems like forever (and to some music listeners, a half-hour is forever), but once it ends and that familiar Woodstock announcer says "Ladies and Gentleman, The Grateful Dead", it was definitely worth it! And that "Woooooooooaahhhhhh!!!!!!" of Ken Babbs sneaks up on me every time I listen to it. The whacked out poetry of seeing sunrises, the great the great the great the great the great, the third coast (which I believe is called the Gulf Coast, but that's just my opinion), and not talkin' 'bout Chicago Blues, it certainly adds to the feeling that we just went through space, had a high time, and am now back on earth ready to kick back and turn on that ever-present love light.

Do yourself a favor and listen to this. You won't be disappointed!

For a band that considered this to be one of their worst performances, they still had plenty of energy and did their absolute best to hide the technical problems that plagued this performance.

I being 2 when jerry died have never seen the dead in concert. I love this because it is woodstock the greatest music festival ever. the sound may not be that good, but it is still one of my fravorite dead recodings ever.

Everyone should listen to this once just for the amusing stage banter. The performance is nothing to write home about - St. Stephen is cut off after two verses for no apparent reason. Dark Star at least stays together for 20 minutes but only occasionally sparkles, mostly meandering before winding down into a formative High Time. Go ahead and listen, but don't expect anything amazing, and stay away from the bad acid! It's just common sense, people! There are plenty of more exciting shows from 69 (practically every one of them).

Ozzhead, what happened with the downloads is that Bobby fucking Wier is the greediest of the band members, and he decided that until he's dead (and can receive no more royalties) no Dead-taped audio can be downloaded for free. Hey Bobby! Remember Woodstock? Remember the reason that the revolution was started? Money makes you a dick!

On to the show. A+ for sound, excellent set considering the circumstances...And anybody who thinks Babbs' rambling ruins (0r even detracts) from this set needs to learn to appreciate ambiance. Take out all the talking from this set, and who knows? It could have been played anywhere...it sets the stage, adds to the EXPERIENCE...and if you really don't want that, buy some editing software, fix it yourself...

and quit WHINING. this is HISTORY.

A+ on Historical Value! Grate Listen.Does Anybody Know of a sbd For 12-6-69 Aka Altamont Speedway? contact yamadog1998@yahoo.com

Always wanted to hear this tape. Sorta short, but it was a festival. Really wish Pigpen would have shut up Ken during Lovelight

Ken Babbs did speak before lovelight but it's not on this cut. He was on the stage and Pigpen said, as the equipment guys were hassling their stuff, "Tell them a story, Babbs." And Babbs got on the microphone and told a story and, just like always when he starts yakking on the microphone, the boys in the band step up and start playing, anything to shut Babbs up. Pigpen used this ploy many times to get the music started. I know this to be true because I was there! And I have the CD of the real thing. That guy on this cut is some unknown gleef.

Some people had a chance to go (i.e. they were born in the right time) others of us have to read (and thanks to archive.org, listen) and imagine. I've gone to some cover band type concerts out in fields which tried to re-enact some of the scene, many years ago, but, even though I wasn't at Woodstock (1 or 2 or whatever number they're up to), I could tell that it just wasn't the same.

Being born in the early 70's, I would talk to my parents about seeing Janice, Jimmy, Zeppelin, and Canned Heat (though they missed Woodstock, too) and always wished I could have been a part of that era.

I was able to catch they boys at a few shows throughout the 90's but even that scene didn't seem to have the same feeling of the late 60's.

And now, I don't even know of any bands that are even close to that scene in the 90's (which was a departure from the real vibe).

So, all I have to go on, for my meager Dead experience is approximately 25 concerts in big city East Cost venues MSG, Boston, Philly, Albany, Nassau, RFK, East Rutherford, etc.

I wish I could have been in the Bay Area in the 60's or at Yasgur's Farm. The vibe is so different. I have no quarrels w/ this show. I think the Babbling Ken Babbs doesn't take away from the show but rather, makes it!

Too much of today's music is over-rehearsed, well-scripted, sampled, and un-reproducible in a live environment. Even the tuning and noodeling adds value. I mean, picture some current pop icon warming up on stage instead of suddenly appearing w/ fireworks and strobe lights aglow!

Not as bad a show as everyone said but it was definately off. Download for the historical value, like dwlewis273 said ignore the incoherent babbling of that brain damaged acid casualty Ken Babbs jerkoff.

WOODSTOCK!!!

I heard that Bobby was getting "electrical" shocks from his guitar while playin' at Woodstock...and this lead to the not so stellar performance.

i love it, but is there a way to download it into mp3 format?

All I can say is that the account that Phil gives in his book is HILLARIOUS!! Read that and then give this a listen... Dig the crowd chants (funny stuff)..And ignore Babb's blithering blabbing!! SIT DOWN and listen!! GOOD TIMES!!
Dave

I could do with out the mindless rambel at the intro and at the end of the high time teaser, this a grate show. Tape slicing (perhapes from power failer) and the vocal drop around 6:30 - 7:30 in Turn on Your Love Light are the only thing holding back these gems.

Overall the sound quality is really good. It is as if the PA system miked the crawed as well as the band and someone made a board mix of that system.

In the end this is a grate show for true Hippys and Dead Heads alike. This one should be in every Dead Heads tape trading collection.

A couple reaviws suggest that this show was downloadable. What happened here? This problem and the problems in consideration, I give this show 3.5 (rounded to 4) stars out of 5.

Ok, this is much better than we have been lead to believe. The sound is very crisp on this. Naturally, the 38-minute Lovelight is the centerpiece, but I could do without Babbs' nonesensical rant at the beginning. Jerry's guitar rings like a bell during this number especially. Dark Star is definitely worth the download too, although certainly not the best or most exploratory for '69. And I'm not buying the St. Stephen > Mama tried segue. St. Stephen sounds spliced up to me, and I don't think this is a real segue. Also, do yourself a favor and don't bother downloading the 10 minutes of ranting and tuning between the High Time tease and Dark Star. Without this it fits on 1 CD. This is a 3.5-star show for '69 rounded up to 4. Of course there is much better '69 material out there, but this is a great historical document.

Just a reminder that historical revisionists for years have told us the boys stunk the joint up. Hearing this proves the old adage "them that can do...them that cant teach or write about it." SHAME ON THEM! This is anexcellent set, and historical to boot. DOWN LOAD NOW. Thanks to all those who have made this possible!

this show is very mediocre excepting the lovelight, which is far and away the best one ive ever heard and i think, one of their finest performing moments ever.

All these years I thought this was a bad show. This is hopping. A must hear...

I like this show for two reasons:
1) As everyone here points out, the music is much, much better than we've been led to believe all these years. Everyone plays well. The "Dark Star" is upbeat, tasteful, and has a nice loping groove to it.
2) I was at Woodstock and, because I was not yet into the Dead, I opted to catch some sleep during their set. The on-and-off rain disrupted all the shows' schedules, so bands were playing round the clock and you had to pick and choose what band's set you would sleep through. This recording fills in some blanks for me. The chatter at the microphone about the bad acid is priceless, as is some of the band members' jabbering. An interesting snapshot of a different time and place in American culture.

I am confused as to why my entire life I have been told that the show in bethel was weak. Excuse me but my boy's were not weak in what I heard. Cool crisp transition with drive and purpose...this isnt the meltdown we have been led to believe. The PA at woodstock might have sucked but they are tight.

gets a 5 because of the historical significance of the show but there are some definate audience noises albeit make for a fun show degrade the pure notes from the bearded one.

This show isn't bad at all. In fact, it's really, really good. The St. Stephen may not have been their best, but everything else is top quality. If they could have fit it on the album, either the Dark Star or Lovelight most definitely deserve to be on it.
Peace!
-Bill

I love this show, it is in my top 10 list FORSURE !!! Pigpen and Bobby in Lovelight just rock, and a Dark star at woodstock, enough said. The only disapointment is that the Sha-na-na set made the movie and all they showed of the boys was Jerry and Phil getting off the helicopter ??? oh ya and this set is way tooooo short !!!!

i belive the dead opened with st. steve and stopped early in the song because of monitor problems onstage...christ..they had perfected the song early on in 69 ..this was just ANOTHER show guys.......whoever says they shouldn't have opened with sucha hard song must have taken the brown acid......they kick ass here!!!! dark star is as good as it gets!!!!! woodstock finally heard some true psychadelia..........

Its a crime....

That either the 2 short songs or 1 of the 2 long ones were omitted from the album
THIS DARKSTAR SHOULD HAVE MADE THE SOUNDTRACK

this gets
5 for History
5 for sound
IMHO 4 for the performance - considering the pressure, circumstances and drugs involved (although some might say 3)

Frankly Im pretty pissed off that Ive been "taught" this performance was shoddy
It is definitly NOT what I have been led to believe the GDs set was like... This is an AWESOME recording A Must Have!

There is no way to give such a good recording of a Historical event anything less than 5 IMO

definitely not thier greatest show as far as flow..due to the venue and obvious problems with sound etc. but the "dark star" is rediculous. i can't believe no one has pointed that out. long..crazy..psychadelic..insane!!!! sounds great and worth your time and hard drive space!!

Not a mind blowing show at all, but historical nonetheless. I have read contradicting reports on the St. Stephen though. Some sources state the rest is missing, but played. Rand McNally's book states that the band quit playing mid-song because they were playing it too horrible for the band to continue with St. Stephen. I guess they shouldn't have opened with such a hard song. The lovelight is unique, to say the least.

After hearing the previous muddy version of this boot its delightful to hear a SBD copy, much in the same vein as Hendrix: Live At Woodstock as far as sound quality at least. Definitely a cool reminder that yes even though the Dead played the "greatest show on earth" their performance was certainly not as peak as preceeding shows i.e. Harpur, its still fun to visualize the Dead playing in front of 400,000. A number that would be transcended four years later at nearby Watkins Glen. **** for historical value